2026-01-05 17:00
publication
2026-01-05 17:00
Venezuelan police were ordered to search for and detain people who supported Saturday's American attack on the country, Reuters reported, citing the decree of the authorities in Caracas, in force since Saturday but published only on Monday.
The document said police should “immediately launch a nationwide search and arrest of anyone who participated in promoting or supporting an armed attack by the United States.”
The decree introducing a state of external threat throughout the country has been in force since its announcement, i.e. on Saturday, but it was only on Monday that the full content of the document was made public, Reuters emphasized.
On Saturday, the US military struck targets in Caracas and other cities in Venezuela. During the operation, the country's leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were captured and deported to the USA. According to the Venezuelan authorities, about 80 people died as a result of the operation, including soldiers and civilians.
Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino announced on Sunday that after the “cowardly abduction” of Maduro by the Americans, the Venezuelan armed forces recognized the assumption of presidential duties by Vice President Delcy Rodriguez and supported the introduction of the external threat decree.
“We are therefore implementing, throughout the entire geographical area of the country and in perfect unity of the people, the army and the police, full operational readiness to ensure the freedom, independence and sovereignty of the people, guaranteeing the democratic and constitutional continuity of the Venezuelan state,” said a statement published by Padrino.
The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, said that the operation against Maduro had been carefully prepared for a long time. According to the media, the Venezuelan leader was captured thanks to information obtained from spies and American intelligence agents located in the government in Caracas. (PAP)
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